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How many of you are waiting for this long float rod?

Huanzhou Zhu

Huanzhou Zhu

Senior Member
17ft acolyte specimen rod is out.
www.drennantackle.com

Acolyte 17ft Specimen Float | Drennan International

This remarkable Acolyte Specimen Float 17ft rod is a much more powerful version of the original 17ft float. It provides excellent line management and float control, while the stiffened blank improves line pick up on the strike even at distance. The progressive through action remains crisp and...
www.drennantackle.com www.drennantackle.com
 
Definitely on my wishlist, due to other recent purchases of quality long rods I won't be rushing in. Interested to hear what anyone on here who buys one and fishes with it thinks.
 
I've got the 15ft version and it's a lovely rod . Not sure I'd like to hook a big barbel on it though , especially at 17ft . I've only caught chub to 5lb on mine so far but it's getting put into action when the season opens ....
 
I've been waiting for it longer than it's been a rumour.
I hope to be using one in short order while the tench fishing is still good.
 
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Barry Peck said:
I've got the 15ft version and it's a lovely rod . Not sure I'd like to hook a big barbel on it though , especially at 17ft . I've only caught chub to 5lb on mine so far but it's getting put into action when the season opens ....
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The 15ft specimen float is brilliant for big barbel.
My fishing pal @John Newman uses his and has landed some belters into double figures. Give it a try with some strong line. It will definitely not disappoint
 
Huanzhou Zhu said:
17ft acolyte specimen rod is out.
www.drennantackle.com

Acolyte 17ft Specimen Float | Drennan International

This remarkable Acolyte Specimen Float 17ft rod is a much more powerful version of the original 17ft float. It provides excellent line management and float control, while the stiffened blank improves line pick up on the strike even at distance. The progressive through action remains crisp and...
www.drennantackle.com www.drennantackle.com
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I’d definitely love to give one a whirl

I must admit though I’m not going to rush to get one now as I bought a tricast triaxial complete system practically unused a short while back and I’m quite taken back by it especially at its long lengths of 15/17ft. It’s so much nicer in action than the allerton premier version I had afew years ago

It’s a tad Lighter than the specimen acolytes at all 3 lengths very close to them on power too but with a lovely spliced tip.

If it wasn’t for the screw up collar on the reel seat which I’ve never liked on tricast’s, it would be a big tick in every box for me.

I’ve gotta give it a whirl this season for some chub and barbel to see how it fairs but if I find I can get on with my pins on that reel seat, I’ll probably not be rushing out straight away for the 17ft Accy like I was intending too.

I Really should be thinking about dropping one or two that I don’t use.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I’d definitely love to give one a whirl

I must admit though I’m not going to rush to get one now as I bought a tricast triaxial complete system practically unused a short while back and I’m quite taken back by it especially at its long lengths of 15/17ft. It’s so much nicer in action than the allerton premier version I had afew years ago

It’s a tad Lighter than the specimen acolytes at all 3 lengths very close to them on power too but with a lovely spliced tip.

If it wasn’t for the screw up collar on the reel seat which I’ve never liked on tricast’s, it would be a big tick in every box for me.

I’ve gotta give it a whirl this season for some chub and barbel to see how it fairs but if I find I can get on with my pins on that reel seat, I’ll probably not be rushing out straight away for the 17ft Accy like I was intending too.

I Really should be thinking about dropping one or two that I don’t use.
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Interesting you picked up a Triaxial 13/15/17 Richard! I finally got one a couple of months ago. Not used it in anger yet ( I have a pair of Triaxial 13/15 that I really like) It feels good waggling it at 17ft in the garden, can't wait to try it out on the river.
 
Michael Brindle said:
Interesting you picked up a Triaxial 13/15/17 Richard! I finally got one a couple of months ago. Not used it in anger yet ( I have a pair of Triaxial 13/15 that I really like) It feels good waggling it at 17ft in the garden, can't wait to try it out on the river.
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It’s a rod that has always intrigued me for years but I’ve never been able to get hold of a good and complete one before now.

I paid proper money for it too but without a single mark on it and all complete in original bag, it was the example I was looking for.

The fact that they were multi length in the 3 lengths that I will use and that was done with interchangeable butt sections, they were powerful rods and typically of older tricasts had spliced tips…….. they tick so many boxes for me.
I knew they wouldn’t be heavy rods but was quite surprised to see the whole rod at 17ft come in at 9g less than the 17ft free spirit and that’s a light 17ft rod.
In fact the only 17ft rod I know of that is lighter is the original acolyte 17.

So I’m itching to get it out on the river and see how it fairs up
 
I ordered my 17' Acolyte Specimen through my local tackle shop last Saturday afternoon when I saw an official post about them on Faceache. I phoned the shop on Thursday to be told it was waiting for me to collect. I snuck into town first thing this morning to collect it. Sadly, there's no fishing for me today, but I hope to sneak out for a few hours on Sunday afternoon/evening.

First impressions are that it appears to have a faster action, a bit more power and is less tip heavy than the 17' Freespirit Hi-S. However, it is a few grams heavier that the Freespirit at 219g compared to 216g. All this was pretty much as expected from comparing the 15' Acolyte Specimen and 15' Hi-S. Only time and use will tell whether the first impressions stick.
 
Chris Jones said:
I ordered my 17' Acolyte Specimen through my local tackle shop last Saturday afternoon when I saw an official post about them on Faceache. I phoned the shop on Thursday to be told it was waiting for me to collect. I snuck into town first thing this morning to collect it. Sadly, there's no fishing for me today, but I hope to sneak out for a few hours on Sunday afternoon/evening.

First impressions are that it appears to have a faster action, a bit more power and is less tip heavy than the 17' Freespirit Hi-S. However, it is a few grams heavier that the Freespirit at 219g compared to 216g. All this was pretty much as expected from comparing the 15' Acolyte Specimen and 15' Hi-S. Only time and use will tell whether the first impressions stick.
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The thing i really loved about the original was the action. It was totally different to the other models and behaved in a way that everything you hooked felt big until you actually hooked something big then it just unlocked this …. Well almost unknown power in the blank that wasn’t even remotely expected. You expect it to just double right up, wave the white flag and give up on itself

If ever there was a rod with hidden capabilities it’s definitely the original acolyte 17.

I’m hoping they hang on to that action with the new one but just step it up enough to take it into the next power level. The hidden capabilities should definitely still remain in the new blank as it made it so unique and such a pleasure to play good sized fish on.

I’m looking forward to obviously trying out my recent purchase the triaxial on the river where it belongs and being a rod that has intrigued me for a couple of decades now that time can’t come quick enough, but I will be having a good look at these Accy 17 specimens also and probably buy one before the summer is out.

I will be a bit gutted though if they have altered the action type a lot and just made a longer version of the other 2. It was the uniqueness of the original 17s action that made it my personal favorite acolyte to date.
 
No thanks, I’ve known at least 4 15’ Accolytes to just snap. The Free Spirit 15’ Power Float is an excellent piece of kit. I’d definitely look at the 17’ version
 
For those that fancy the Freespirits (15 and 17'ers) over Acolytes. Make me an offer, if it's sensible, and the logistics work out, I may be able to help.
 
Paul Ward said:
No thanks, I’ve known at least 4 15’ Accolytes to just snap. The Free Spirit 15’ Power Float is an excellent piece of kit. I’d definitely look at the 17’ version
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I’d wager most acolyte breakages are user error/mishandling etc…..only ever had one of mine break and was my own fault. Yes they have a fine tip but if treated with respect and not bent at any unnatural angles they will last
 
Paul Ward said:
No thanks, I’ve known at least 4 15’ Accolytes to just snap. The Free Spirit 15’ Power Float is an excellent piece of kit. I’d definitely look at the 17’ version
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Paul My experience says the complete opposite.

I had a free spirit 17ft power float and yes it was not a bad rod till you hooked something then it did snap ….. twice right through the middle of the tip section and the shop that sold mine told me I wasn’t the only one to return a broken one

Maybe they got better…. In fairness I did buy mine very early after release.

However acolytes i couldn’t disagree more
I’ve owned 5 of them and used lots more from very early ones to relatively recent ones and never broke a single rod.
Granted they are not my favourite rods and I do use rods I consider to be better but I’ll never take it away from drennan that they built a good reliable blank

Yes I’m sure they’ll break if mistreated but I’d trust an acolyte blank over the recent free spirit blanks any day of the week.

If everyone remembers free spirit discontinued their Hi S power float and the reason given for this discontinuation was that the carbon cloth was way too expensive for them to produce and sell at their current prices
All of a sudden a brand new range with 3 new models appears on the shelves and they look and feel completely different.

Make of it what you will
 
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